About Forced Sterilization

What is forced sterilization?

Forced, coercive, compulsory, or involuntarysterilization encompasses a variety of methods—used as a form of permanent birth control—that are applied without the full, free and informed consent of the recipient. This site utilizes the term forced sterilization, unless otherwise noted, interchangeably and/or inclusively with coercive, involuntary and compulsory sterilization. Typically these practices have been targeted toward women, however, this also site includes those policies and actions that affect men, transgender, and intersex persons.

Forced sterilization, in some form or another, has existed since the concepts punishment, medicine, and servitude. However, the popular eugenics movement that emerged in the early 20th century created both the philosophical and political will that encouraged many countries to adopt forced sterilizationpolicies. The majority of cases included here have roots in national eugenics programs. An incomplete list of countries includes: Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, India, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and Uzbekistan. More information about specific cases and conditions in each country is available through our Research Archive.